Autoiviatic grain-meter



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. G. MARSH 8v V. ARNOLD.

AUTOMATIGGRAI METER.

No. 297,614. Patented Apr. 29,1884.

] W ttor/wg N: PEYERS. FmaALimngnpher, washington. D.C.

(No'ModeL) 2 Sheets--Sheet 2.

G. MARSH '8v V. ARNOLD.

AUTOMATIC GRAIN METER.

No.'r297,614. Patented Apr. 29,1884.

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Unirse @raras Param* rtree.

GEORGE MARSH lAND VINDEX ARNOLD, OF MARSHALL, MICHIGAN.

AUTOMATIC GRAIN-METER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 297,614, dated April 2 9, 188%.

Application filed February 15, 1854. (No model.)

fo @ZZ whom t may cmtcerf:

Be it known that we, GEORGE MaRsH and VINDEX ARNOLD, citizens of the United States, residing `at Marshall, in the county of Calhoun and 'State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Grain-Scales, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of this invention is to improve and simplify the construction of automatic machines for weighing or measuring` grain; and the invention relates particularly to that class of such machines in which a two-compartment receptacle is suspended in such manner that when one compartment is lled with grain the receptacle descends, the grain is diverted to the other compartment, and simul taneously the outlet of said lling compartment is closed, and the outlet of the filled compartment opened, and so on while the supply of grain lasts.

The improvements consist, mainly, in the `means for diverting the grain from one com'- partment to the other, and opening and closing the outlets, substantially as hereinafter particularly set forth and claimed.

' In the accompanying` drawings, in the several figures of which like parts arevsimilarly designated, Figure l is a perspective view of our improved machine. Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the plane of line s0 x, Fig. l; and Fig. 3 is a rear eleva-tion of the machine, showing the registering mechanism uncovered.

A suitable frame-work, A, is provided, consisting, for example, of upright posts a, crosspieces b, and stringers c, properly connected.

B is the grain-receptacle, made as usual, with a central vertical partition dividing it into two compartments of preferably equal capacity, each having a larger outlet than inlet. Each of these outlets is provided with a gate or hinged valve, d, hinged to open from each other.

e is the funnel or hopper. This receptacle is suspended within the frame by means of a forked lever, C, the forked ends ff of which have anti-friction journals g g, engaging bearings h 7L, attached to the receptacle. This forked lever is fulcrumed on the frame in boxes t' z' bythe lateral pivots jj of its forked portion. The arm k of the lever extends from the receptacle, and is provided with a weight or counterpoise, Z, adjustable thereon to provide for discharging from the receptacle different quantities of grain. The lever is thus of the third kind. The anti-friction bearings and fulcra for said lever are preferably of the wellknown knife-edge class.

A Vithin the receptacle in line with the partition is a shaft, m, borne by the side walls of said receptacle, and provided with the usual gate or valve, n, to be alternately thrown across and cover the mouths of the compartments beneath the hopper or funnel, to direct the incoming grain from the hopper into one or the other of the compartments. The gate is supported over either mouth by stops o on the receptacle.

Outside the receptacle onthe shaft m, at one end, is a V-shaped rock-lever, p, said lever being fixed to the shaft at the apex of the V, and serving as the medium through which the shaft and its attached gate are moved. The arms of this lever are of such divergence with respect to the axis of the shaft that as they are moved their upper ends fall slightly over and beyond the said axis, or what is called in workshop terms,the dead-center of the rock-le ver, for a purpose presently appearing. The ends ofthe arms of this rock-lever and the opening ends of the two discharge gates or valves d d are connected by rods q, the joints being free or hinge-like. The rock-lever is notched at r r on opposite sides of the shaft and in the lower surface, and these notches are engaged by a fixed finger, s, projecting upward from one of the cross-pieces b of the frame. As the vreceptacle fills, the weight of grain required overbalances the weight Z, and said receptacle descends, moving the lever C on its fulcra. In so descending, the notch r in that side of the rock-lever next the empty compartment (the gaten, covering said empty compartment) comes in contact with the finger s, and said lever is by said finger consequently thrown over to the other side,`carrying the gate n over to and closing the mouth of the filled compartment. This movement of the rock-lever draws up the rod, ,connecting it with the discharge-valve of the empty compartment and closes the discharge end of such compartment; and inasmuch as the arm of the ICO lever carrying the rod of that gate passes the axial line or so-called dead-center" of the rock-lever, it follows that the discharge-valve ofthe empty compartment (new iilling) will be locked or positively' held in the closed position without other fastenings. Simultaneously with this closing of the empty compartment, the rod connecting the rock-lever with the dischargevalve of the other compartment will descend and positively open the dischargevalve of that compartment; and inasmuch "as the outlctis larger than the inlet of these compartments, they will, empty much more rapidly than they iill, and consequently allowV the .receptacle to rise under the weight of the connterpoise,to again fall as the counterpoise is overbalanced by the filling compartment.

Instead of notehing the rock-lever for the engagement ot the finger, we may employ an independent angle-plate fast to the shaft.

As the turning ot' the shaft m marks the iilling of a compartment, any registering mechanism-say the train of Wheels E-may be connected therewith, to obtain the aggregate of compartments-full discharged.

rlhe first or unit Wheel may be operated upon both turns of the shalt by the pawls t, arranged at diametric points of the shaft fm,- but we do not limit our invention to such registering mechanism.

lVhat We claim, is-

1. The combination, in a grain-meter, of a counterpoised receptacle divided into compartnientsa gate arranged to alternately cover the inlet of one or the other of such compartments, a rock-lever connected with such gate, and a stationary spring-finger to engage such rock-lever to throw it first io one side and center of the lever as the receptacle descends,

to positively lock the closed discharge-valve, substantially as described.

3. The combination, in a grain-n1eter, of a frame, a forked lever l'ulcrumed thereon, a counter-poise on said lever, a receptacle hung in said forked lever and divided into two conv partments, agate arranged to cover the inlets to said compartments alternately, a rock-lever connected with the gate, discharge-valves to said compartments, rods connecting said rocklever and valves, and a stationary iinger engaging said rock-lever, to throw its arms and the attached rods beyond the axis or deadcenter ot the lever, as the receptacle descends, to positively lock the closed dischargevalve, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands this 13th day of February, A. ID. 1834A.

GEORGE MARSH. VINDEX ARNOLD.

lVitnesses:

C. G. IN-Gnnsom.,

EARL SMITH. 

